Nearly ten years after the first generation Audi Q7 was introduced to the public, the redesigned and improved luxury SUV is coming to market to challenge the F15 BMW X5 and the Mercedes-Benz ML.
The new 2015 Audi Q7 may be even more successful than the first generation, the Ingolstadt-based automaker listened to the criticism of the first draft and applied to the right places: the new Q7 is slightly smaller, much lighter, more economical and especially more dynamic than before.
A weight saving of 325 kg, keeps the new Q7 just under 2 tons, inline with the BMW X5 sDrive25d. This achievement is all the more remarkable because, despite the somewhat smaller dimensions, the new 2015 Audi Q7 remains significantly larger than the BMW X5. With an exterior length of 5.05 meters, the Q7 dominates the X5 by more than 16 centimeters; it is also slightly wider and shallower than the SAV from Munich.
Stocky proportions and a generous amount of space and up to 2,075 liters of luggage capacity, are some other qualities of the new Q7.
The engine options for the Q7 include, in addition to a 272-hp 3.0 TDI and 333 hp 3.0 TFSI, also a model with plug-in hybrid drive: The Audi Q7 e-tron quattro combines TDI and an electric motor for a system output of 373 hp and a fuel consumption of 1.7 liters per 100 kilometers. In contrast, BMW will launch their own X5 plug-in hybrid – BMW X5 xDrvive40e – but with a gasoline engine and an electric motor.
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Many new assistance systems emphasize the redesign of the Q7. The interior of the new SUV now features a less cluttered design and significantly fewer buttons than before.
The highlight is the 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit in the driver’s direct field of view, this is combined, unlike the TT, with a central infotainment display at the center of the dashboard. Rounding out the display concept is a Head-Up Display.
With the new Q7, Audi also debuted the second generation of the Modular Longitudinal Platform – the technology matrix of Audi models with longitudinal engine.
The 2015 Audi Q7 will debut next month at the Detroit Auto Show.
Here is a photo gallery of the Q7 and X5, and we invite you to let us know which one you believe looks best.
